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TOUR EFFECTS OF COVID-19
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM TOURNAMENT
GOLF FOR BOTH PLAYERS AND FANS?
he COVID-19 coronavirus has certainly turned people to make a PGA Tour event happen, but
Tour world upside-down. Multiple businesses the Tour plans to try to run with around 1,000
were forced to closed, including golf courses, extra personnel at the venue. Virus testing will
when most American governors mandated that not be possible for everyone due to logistics, but
“non-essential” businesses do so. A philosophical screenings and questionnaires will be the norm.
point can be made that there are no businesses Caddies will be required to clean the
that are non-essential, because all businesses flagsticks and bunker rakes after they handle
are essential to the owners that own them, them, and both players and caddies are
employees who depend on their paychecks expected to sanitize their hands after the
and the customers who rely on the products playing of each hole. Players are encouraged
and services those businesses provide. to pull the clubs out of the bag and return them
Gatherings of over 10 people were also without the caddie touching them. Players
either discouraged or declared illegal as are also going to be the only ones allowed to
government officials moved into action to try pick their ball out of the hole. Both players and
to stop the spread of the coronavirus. That caddies will be tested for the virus before each
effectively ended professional sports in the event, and any player returning a positive test
United States for a considerable period of time, will be forced to withdraw from the tournament.
including golf on the PGA Tour. The first round Masks will also be provided for any player,
of The Players was completed in March when caddie and essential personnel at the course.
the Tour decided that it was not feasible to A charter plane will also be made available
continue play and wound up canceling the to players and caddies alike, and only those
tournament. Other events were either canceled who test negative for the virus within 24 hours of
or postponed, as well. departure will be allowed to board. Players and
After three months of being shut down, caddies are expected to all stay at the same
the PGA Tour started play again on June 11 at hotel, basically sequestered there with no travel
Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, and outside the hotel except to the golf course. This
going forward, the experience will certainly includes staying in the hotel for all meals and
be different for players and fans alike. For not going out to a restaurant to eat.
one, there actually will be no fans for the first Frankly, while these guidelines seem
four events; not even players’ families will be reasonable to the extent that stopping the
allowed on-site. It takes approximately 2,500 Continued on page 06
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SUMMER 2020 Golf Teaching Pro ®
